Monsanto GM maize deemed to contain toxins. Whistleblower wins case!

Immediate release 19 January 2011



French GM Whistleblower Wins Defamation Case Against Biotech Industry Body



GM Freeze has warmly welcomed the judgement of the French Court in favour of Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini against the French Association of Plant Biotechnologies (FAPB) and a member of its staff for defamation announced today. [1]



Professor Séralini sued FAPB and staff member Marc Fellous following a sustained smear campaign against him and his research into the health impacts of GM crops. He re-analysed company data for three GM maize varieties produced by Monsanto and concluded that there were potential health impacts, for example:



“Chemistry measurements reveal signs of hepatorenal toxicity, marked also by differential sensitivities in males and females.” [2]



Today the court awarded the damages of one Euro as requested by Séralini. It also imposed a fine and costs on the defendant.



This case is one of several examples where the integrity of GM whistle blowers has been the subject to attack by fellow scientists supportive of GM technology. [3]



Commenting Pete Riley Of GM freeze said:



“We warmly welcome this judgement and are delighted for Professor Séralini. Let’s hope that we now see an end to the type of smear campaign we saw in this case and others over the last decade or so.



“Freedom of independent scientists to challenge the finding of scientific findings funded by an industry trying to sell seeds or chemicals is a vital element. History of technological disasters tells us that industry and regulators are the last people to recognise and admit there is a problem. We fully support Séralini’s right to pursue his research on GM crops and wish him more power.”



ENDS



Calls to Pete Riley 07903 341065 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting**************07903 341065******end_of_the_skype_highlighting.



Notes



1. See www.criigen.org/SiteEn/
2. See Seralini G.E., Cellier D., and de Vendomais J.S., 2007. New Analysis of a Rat Feeding Study with a Genetically Modified Maize Reveals Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Volume 52, Number 4, 596-602,
3.For example Arpad Putszai
(see www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/jan/15/academicexperts.highereducationprofile)
and Ignacio Chapela
(see www.powerbase.info/index.php/Immoral_Maize:_Extract_from_Don't_Worry,_It's_Safe _to_Eat_by_Andrew_Rowell)

This post has been sitting here untouched for 10 days, but I wish to lock it anyway as this kind of stuff belongs in the 'Environmental' section. G.